I must admit to a feeling of impatience when dealing with those claims and pseudo-religions that have nothing of value to say or to teach the world. Yet, when asked to look at this or that teaching I will oblige, to save fellow believers wasted time and effort, and possible ‘infection’ with non-religious beliefs. I have this sense of impatience with Unitarianism, and this is why this paper is only an introduction.

Unitarianism is a very strange creature, calling itself a religion and even at times accepting the term ‘Christian’ for itself, whilst being a paganistic organisation. Though its spirit has existed for a long time, Unitarianism did not arise formally until the 19th century, after Darwin accelerated the rot in the world with what was to become the ‘evolution theory’.

We can say from the outset that Unitarianism is rank heresy if not paganism, and Unitarians are not brethren (not even the members who identify as ‘Christian’). Universalism is heresy in its religious statements, but plain paganism in the rest. It is worth noting that Darwin’s mother was an Unitarian.

Basically, Unitarianism does not believe in the Trinity and is more aligned to the ‘philosophies of men’ than to true religion. Indeed, as a set of beliefs it is just philosophy and has no association with the Lord.

Universalism

For Unitarians (and closely linked Quakerism) every person has a religious quality, but those who hold to this do not accept Christian-type beliefs. Most Arminians believe in the universal application of the Gospel, for example, which is why they believe that everyone, without exception, has the potential to be saved. Yet another heresy and quite unbiblical. Its logical end is to assume that all people, whether saved or not, will ultimately be reconciled to God.

The basis for the above in modern times, is stated thus:

"Repentance is a means by which all men are brought into the enjoyment of religion, and we do not expect any man will be saved while he continues in sin. The reason why we hold to universal salvation, is, we expect all men will repent."

(Otis Ainsworth Skinner [1807-1861], A Series of Sermons in Defence of the Doctrine of Universal Salvation, Page 209)

Today’s Arminians do not seem to hold exactly to this view, but they are very close to it, for they assume that all men may be saved if only they choose to follow Christ. For myself, I teach otherwise, for scripture says only the elect can be saved: they have no choice in the matter, for God chose them. Even the term ‘Catholic’, from the Greek katholikos, means ‘universal’. Yet, Rome does not teach universal salvation!

Unitarianism

Unitarianism is liberal universalism, often in the extreme. It has no creeds, sharing this with Quakerism, and accepts any beliefs an individual feels led to. For this reason Universal Unitarians take their ‘beliefs from any religion they wish (or none – it does not matter to them). In effect, then, their beliefs are not really ‘beliefs’ at all, but merely a set of borrowed lies. Any ‘Christian’ input is heretical.

Only 20% of Unitarians identify as ‘Christian’, even though a swift glance will tell us they have no Christian basis whatever. They are listed as being humanist, agnostic, deist, atheist, pagan, monotheist, pantheist, polytheist, and so on (list from Wikipedia). Quite ridiculous.

On a BBC Religions page we have this summary about Unitarianism: “Unitarianism is an open-minded and individualistic approach to religion that gives scope for a very wide range of beliefs and doubts.” Sound familiar? It is virtually a copy of liberal Quakerism, and not far from liberal Anglicanism.

There are about 7000 Unitarians in England and Ireland, and over three quarters of a million of them throughout the world. Though Unitarians until recently did not want ‘ministers’ they came to see an advantage in being called ‘minister’ and ‘Rev’. The titles gave them access to others, in prisons and hospitals and in the armed forces... even though they initially did not wish to be called a ‘church’.

Why they need ministers I do not know, for every individual is said to be free to come to his own conclusions! Diversity and pluralism is part of their thinking (if it can be called that), as is inclusivism and tolerance. For this reason they fully accept homosexuality and contradictory views/beliefs. This is how many religions find a place within its system – Christian, Pagan, Buddhist and even atheist! Of course, anyone who joins this form of paganism cannot be a genuine Christian.

Unitarians do not think truth is necessarily found in the scriptures, and no religious body can lay claim to truth, even though Jesus Christ said that God’s word is truth! (John 17). By definition, this means that ‘other’ words (such as are preached by pagans, atheists, etc) CANNOT be truth. Though each can believe whatever he wishes, Unitarians have devised some ‘core values’. Unitarianism is almost pantheistic by believing that all humans and everything in creation are unified. It believes in social justice and so is active in community work, etc. (just like Quakers. To me this is a substitute for genuine religion).

Though Unitarianism is supposed to have grown out of the Reformation, it cannot possibly have been through biblical Christian teaching, but from heretical disagreements with the Reformation. Further signs of its non-religious outlook is that it had women ministers from as early as 1904.

Unitarians (that is, those who pretend to be Christians) believe there is only ‘one God’ and so reject the Trinity and all that it means. This is a very bad attempt at interpretation by them, but they know nothing better because of their unbelief. While few in the churches accept Unitarianism as ‘Christian’ (which it does not lay claim to anyway), it is still accepted in government and other circles as valid. But, then, so is Wicca (witchcraft)!

Unitarian Core Values

The more we know of Unitarianism the closer it gets to Quakerism, which is also heretical! They deny that any one group can have the whole truth, even though only Christians can say they have it, through Jesus Christ. We may not know everything, but we do have access to the genuine truth, God’s word. Unitarians, though, do not believe in the Holy Spirit Who alone leads us into all truth.

Unitarians think there is an inherent value in ‘diversity’ – but it all depends on what they mean by it. One thing they say is that ‘differences of opinion’ may not be destructive, but can be enriching. This kind of thinking automatically puts the Unitarian outside the knowledge and activity of God, Who Himself teaches right and wrong, sin and holiness, and so on, which are all direct and forceful signs of absolutes. Genuine Christians teach what God says, just as Jesus did. Anything other than that is, in God’s eyes, heresy, paganism and wickedness.

Unitarians insist that freedom of thought must be upheld, that truth is known only by rational thought, that religious principles must be formed by individuals via conscience, thinking and personal experiences, and that ANY form of ‘religious’ ideas (including humanism) are acceptable. Those are its core values. In this way the most wicked paedophile homosexual is accepted, as are those who teach strongly against the existence of God! For these reasons I have always said that Unitarianism is a non-religion, and just another ‘philosophy of men’. And it is why Unitarianism is irrelevant to society; all its ‘good works’ are as ‘filthy rags’ to God.

Unitarians, as would be expected, reject the idea of original sin as well as the trinity. The human traits it thinks are valuable are the very traits that cannot cause anyone to reach or understand God. Intuition is given a high place, which is abysmal, given the kind of results obtained by following ‘intuition’. This is why Ralph Waldo Emerson (much valued by Unitarians) was able to say:

“The intuition of the moral sentiment is an insight of the perfection of the laws of the soul. These laws execute themselves. They are out of time, out of space, and not subject to circumstance.

Thus; in the soul of man there is a justice whose retributions are instant and entire. He who does a good deed, is instantly ennobled. He who does a mean deed, is by the action itself contracted. He who puts off impurity, thereby puts on purity.

If a man is at heart just, then in so far is he God; the safety of God, the immortality of God, the majesty of God do enter into that man with justice.”

Quakers, too, say they have the ‘light of God’ within. And modern Charismatics (led by Copeland et al) say that we are ‘gods’. It is interesting, too, that charismatics, like Unitarians, hold ‘banner parades’.

Unitarians do not believe in an all-powerful God who demands obedience, nor in individual salvation. Meetings are a conglomeration of anything the local group wants to be included. That can even be just a ‘celebration of life’ itself. Rather watery and vague! Readings from almost anywhere (but usually not from scripture) are used, there may be sermons, prayers, silences (another Quakerism) and songs. Really, anything the congregation wants that are consistent with its seven principles (uua.org) based on the “humanistic teachings of the world’s religions”.

Unitarian ‘spirituality’ comes from “scripture and science, nature and philosophy, personal experience and tradition”. When everything can be joined together as equal, we know that the outcome is just superficial nonsense.

All in all, I view Unitarianism as a ‘nothing’ set of beliefs. It is not a true religion but a collection of everything, without real or lasting purpose, and an humanly devised dreamworld. I would expect similar arguments against my view as can be given by Quakers. Both are godless systems.